1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooling apparatus for cooling high-temperature mediums, and is used for cooling heat generating elements such as semiconductor devices and electric devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, cooling apparatuses boiling and condensing refrigerant, for cooling heat generated from heat generating elements have been known. Further, as disclosed in JP-A-57-204156, there has been known a cooling apparatus provided with a first communication pipe for introducing a refrigerant after being boiled and vaporized by the heat of the heat generating element to a radiator and a second communication pipe for introducing the refrigerant after being condensed by the radiator back to a refrigerant tank, so that the refrigerant circulates within the apparatus to improve the heat radiating performance.
In the cooling apparatus disclosed in the JP-A-57-204156, a single first communication pipe is disposed above the liquid level of the refrigerant in the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion of the refrigerant tank. Further, a single second communication pipe is disposed so as to be open below the liquid level of the refrigerant in the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion of the refrigerant tank, and is immersed in the refrigerant.
With a recent tendency to the reduction in size of the apparatus itself, it has been demanded to install heat generating elements and the cooling apparatus itself with various inclination angles.
In the above-described cooling apparatus, however, since the single first communication pipe is disposed above the liquid level of the refrigerant in the peripheral edge portion of the refrigerant tank and the single second communication pipe is disposed as to be open below the refrigerant liquid level in the peripheral edge portion of the refrigerant tank, there occurs the following problems when the cooling apparatus itself is inclined.
(1) When both of the connecting portion between the refrigerant tank and the first communication pipe and the connecting portion between the refrigerant tank and the second communication pipe are exposed from the refrigerant liquid level, the refrigerant after being boiled and vaporized does not circulate efficiently so that the heat radiating performance is deteriorated remarkably.
(2) When both of the connecting portion between the refrigerant tank and the first communication pipe and the connecting portion between the refrigerant tank and the second communication pipe are immersed in the refrigerant, the refrigerant tank is filled with the refrigerant after being boiled and vaporized, so that the heat radiating performance is deteriorated remarkably.